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Sussex occupiers speak out! Interviews and speeches online

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In collaboration with Radio Free Brighton we publish speeches and interviews with the still on-going (and growing in support) occupation of Bramber House at Sussex University.

Below you can also see how the university management broke their silence and the great response from the occupation. Keep up the solidarity with the occupation – send messages of support to [email protected]

To, the students staging the protest in the terrace
From, The Vice Chancellor Prof. Michael Farthing

You sent a statement to me and other colleagues on Friday the 8th of February in relation to the protest you are undertaking, on which I have reflected.

We have a properly constituted process in relation to our plans to work with external partners, which includes meetings and discussions with trade unions, staff who are transferring, other staff, the student’s union and students (including the most recent last night), that had been ongoing since May 2012.

I note that by remaining in the room you are presenting our staff in the conference office from undertaking their normal work, which they find disruptive and unhelpful.
I also note that I have been asked by a number of staff and student to find a way to resolve this situation.

I a therefore offering those currently in the terrace room the opportunity to set out your views and concerns formally in person in a meeting with me and the Registrar, John Duffy, at 11:30 am this morning. We have booked a room (Arts A108) for the meeting to take place.

We will take those views to the project board which leads the work on external partners and report the meeting to our council.

Before the meeting takes place, we would want all the people involved in the protest to leave the terrace room. Once we have received confirmation of this, the meeting can take place.

This is the only condition attached to the meeting taking place.

I hope you will take this opportunity so that we can hear in person the views and concerns which you have.

Yours Sincerely,
Professor Michael Farthing
Vice Chancellor

To the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Farthing,

We write to you eager to move forward, – students, lecturers and staff – towards an inclusive and cohesive campus community that can effectively serve the educational goals that this institution sets out to achieve.

Your reflection on the matter at hand and the series of “informative” sessions that management has held for students and staff since May 2012, while appreciated, fall short of our expectations and those of many members of the Sussex Community.

We would like to make clear: the condition that you have set out for this meeting is unacceptable both for us in the occupation and those in the wider community, including our own local MP who supports our presence here.

Your offer today amounts to little more than a continuation of a series of unaccountable “dialogue sessions”. It should be evident that we resorted to occupation as a last recourse after having exhausted this bureaucratic and one way process that has prevailed for months, in which staff and students are expected to sit in meetings and receive instructions as to what will happen to their work and study place as passive actors that have no stakes and no say.

If dissolving this occupation is the only condition upon which we can meet, then will not have a meeting. However we would like to extend that invitation to you and the Registrar, to join us here in the occupation to discuss the juncture we find ourselves at today. We would also request the presence of members of the 235 workers affected and concerned faculty.

Our presence here will continue to serve as a hub for organizing and inspiring our campus community for as long as is necessary.

We look forward to hear from you.

Yours Sincerely,

The Occupiers at Bramber House (3rd floor)
Sussex Against Privatisation